As the scale of cellular analysis experiments expands from a few dozen samples to hundreds or even thousands of individual samples (e.g., in a high-throughput screen), several limitations are encountered, including reagent expense, analysis time, control of assay parameters between different samples, and sample acquisition throughput. Throughput has been increased by rapid auto-samplers, but such systems are not widely available (see, e.g., Kuckuck et al. Cytometry 44, 83-90 (2001); and Edwards et al. Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 8, 392-398 (2004), which discuss auto samplers for flow cytometers).
The present invention provides methods and compositions for improving multiple sample (e.g., high throughput) flow cytometric assays.